Winnsboro High’s gain is Cathedral High’s loss. Cathedral lost its traditional season-opening game with Wisner when the Louisiana school closed down at the end of the last school year and consolidated with Winnsboro High.

Cathedral and Wisner have opened the season against each other since 1990.

Cathedral High head football coach Ken Beesley said he did not find out about Wisner’s closing until two weeks ago.

&uot;Davidson and Menard (both Louisiana high schools) had that first date open and scheduled each other,&uot; Beesley said. &uot;If we would have known about this before then, we could have scheduled one of them.&uot;

If Cathedral is unable to find an opponent for Sept. 1, the Green Wave will start its season Sept. 8 at Richland.

&uot;That’s just a long time to wait and play a ballgame,&uot; Beesley said. &uot;If we can’t find anybody we’ll just have to pace ourselves and not overdo it.&uot;

The Richland game is a Division 6-2A contest.

&uot;We really want to try and find somebody to get a game in before district,&uot; Beesley said.

The Green Wave also have an open date the seventh week of the season.

Beesley said one advantage of starting later, if necessary, is at least one new head coach will be on staff.

Ken Beesley Jr. joins his father and brother Craig Beesley on the staff. Terry Moffett resigned from Cathedral as defensive coach to take a job teaching in Franklin County.

Cathedral is still interviewing for one other coaching position.

&uot;This will give the players more time to get to know the new staff,&uot; Beesley said.

As for his son’s joining him on the sidelines, Beesley said it was totally Ken Jr.’s decision. Ken Beesley Jr. worked as an accountant before changing professions for the upcoming season.

&uot;I’m glad to have him,&uot; Beesley said of his oldest son. &uot;I&160;know he will do a good job. I know he’s been wanting to do this for a long time. I just have to make sure to stay under control on the field, and not like I’m at home. Craig is easy to get along with, but Ken Jr. is kind of hard-headed like I am. A lot of time people think we are arguing, but that’s the way we discuss things.&uot;